Reminiscent
by Tamioca
Summary: Here they are, laughing, as if they were back to being twelve-years-old, back to being genin, back to being at peace. There is no war in their hearts, only the thoughts of them being on the same team, even after all this time. SakuSaku (?)
1. Chapter 1

Everything is white when he opens his eyes.

Sasuke Uchiha is a lot of things―the only surviving Uchiha, the prodigy, _that one war criminal_ , maybe―but a hospital patient is not one he was expecting to be when he wakes up in Konoha for the first time in years. He tries to sit up, his arm supporting him, and it is then that he realizes that his other arm is, as he remembered, really gone.

"Sasuke-kun…"

His eyes shoot to his legs and sees Sakura on it, resting her arm on his leg, and her head is on said arm; her eyes were closed, and it seems she's been asleep for a while now. She must have been sleep talking, and from the view he has, he can see dark circles below her eyes.

(He still doesn't understand why Sakura is this kind to him, and he realizes he's found himself in this situation before―waking up in a hospital and seeing Sakura with him.

She really is a kind girl.)

Without thinking, his hand reaches towards her, and settles on her hair. He brushes his fingers in it. (It's still so short.)

Her eyes slowly open, and Sasuke pulls his hand back. She takes a look at him, wondering what happened, but she decides that she won't touch on the subject. (She can embarrass the Uchiha another day; when he's fully recovered.)

"You're awake!" She puts her arms around him, hugging him. (Everything is so, so familiar. He feels as if he's back to being twelve years old, back to being so young, so naïve, so restless.)

He decides to remain composed, and he gives a nod. His eyes remain on hers. "How long have you been here?"

Her eyes trail to the window. "A few days, give or take. I've been the doctor assigned to you." _You're on hospital arrest, too, considering the things you've done, but I don't think that would be good to tell you right now; you probably even know that already._ She bit her lower lip.

He looks at her, _really_ looks at her. (She doesn't know when was the last time this happened; she used to be just the fangirl who fawned over him, the one who had no clan name to be proud of, the one who had to be protected all the time. But here she was, becoming a strong fighter and possibly the best medic ninja. She knows she doesn't want to chase other people's approval anymore, but she hopes he sees who she's become.)

The only thing he manages to say is, "Why?"

She looks as if he grew a second head, (After everything that has happened, she doubts it's impossible), but compassion is in her eyes, with a mix of kindness. (And when he looks really closely, he can see her battle-worn soul; nostalgia, tiredness, sorrow.)

He wants to apologize once more―for everything. (For leaving her that night, for being consumed by his hatred and yearn for revenge, for hurting them.)

"Because there's no way I'm leaving you now. I've seen you die way too many times in genjutsu."

"…What?"

"Especially when we were genin. I even thought that your head was severed during the bell test!"

"But it wasn't."

"I know, I'm not stupid."

He realizes Sakura Haruno really isn't the person he knew before; she's fiercer now; bolder, stronger. (Though he knows of this way before this moment; she did try to kill him before, and even though he couldn't feel her intent at that time, the fact that she was charging at him brought him back to the reality that this was Sakura, the girl he cherished, the girl he protected before, trying to kill him.)

He doesn't know what to make of it. (He _did_ try to kill her, too.)

And unconsciously, the side of his lips turned slightly upwards.

She takes notice of this.

"I'll have you know I'm great at detecting genjutsu now," she says, puffing out her cheeks in fake annoyance.

(He remembers the time before the Chuunin Exams started, when the proctors confused them with the floors of the building with genjutsu. He remembers how off the girl had before they entered the building. He remembers the smile she had when he complimented her and told her she was the best at genjutsu know-how and that she could easily detect something like what the proctors pulled off.)

"I know," he responds. "I'm not stupid."

A small laugh comes from her. It becomes louder, and soon enough, he joins in.

For a moment, she forgets the pain he caused her, the pain he caused all of them; and for a moment, he forgets his faults, he forgets his shortcomings, he forgets his regret.

Here they are, laughing, as if they were back to being twelve-years-old, back to being genin, back to being at peace. There is no war in their hearts, only the thoughts of them being on the same team, even after all this time.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura visits him everyday.

Despite her very busy schedule, she manages to find time in the morning to go to his hospital room, place flowers in the vase, and chat a bit. She tells him the things he missed while he was gone. "I assure you, though; Naruto is still addicted to ramen cup noodles."

Sasuke raises his brows, and she doesn't know if it's out of surprise, or out of being impressed. "That dobe has way too much preservatives in his body now."

She shakes her head, and a sigh escapes her lips. "I know, right? It's so unhealthy. I can't believe him."

She tells him how she notices that Naruto and Hinata are getting closer day by day, how she has a bet with Ino that Hinata will probably confess first. She tells him how she was trained by Lady Tsunade, and when a challenging look crosses his face, she tells him that she can punch him and make the ground break.

He doesn't doubt that.

She tells him how Neji died, how much Konoha has changed, how she has nightmares every night of the people she needed to save, but failed to do so. She tells him of the enemies, their blood spilled on the ground, their lungs struggling to keep them breathing, their voices asking for help, and how she had to run pass them to heal Konoha's ninjas.

She tells him that she didn't know this would be her future.

(She was just a small girl with high hopes.)

And while he listens, he places his hand on top of hers. (He doesn't know how to comfort her on this; he has his fair share of trauma, if not more.)

They really were just kids.


	3. Chapter 3

**Warning!** Mention and description of asphyxia ahead.

* * *

When she dozes off in front of her desk, and her head suddenly shoots up, she doesn't know what to make of it.

Nightmares plague her mind more and more each day, and she tries to think of a solution. (Sleeping pills, maybe, but the ones currently developed are too risky for her to take, and as a doctor, she can't afford messing up on an operation because of the side effects.

So she guesses this is her life, then.)

Her eyes trail to the clock.

It's already three in the morning. Great. (She thinks that this would have been a normal time to be awake if she was on duty, but she'd been given a day to rest because she was so obviously overworked and stressed, with the dark circles under her eyes, pale skin, and the way she carried herself tiredly.)

Without thinking, she stands up from her seat, exits the room, and goes up the stairs. (The hospital is almost her second home. She knows every turn and every corner, she's tried every snack in the canteen, she—)

—arrives in front of Sasuke's room.

Sakura slowly opens the door, careful not to wake him up. She's surprised, though, to see his gaze on hers.

"I'm—I don't know why I'm here," she says nervously, letting out a fake laugh as her hand is behind her head. "I'm so sorry to interrupt your sleep."

She almost turns her back, but she notices him pat the chair near his bed. Sakura reluctantly enters the room.

Silence ensues.

"…So," Sakura starts. Sasuke raises a brow. She purses her lips.

He sighs. "Why are you so awake late at night?" His voice is almost dripping with annoyance, but she notices it's more or less actually concern. (This is Sasuke, this is really him; always trying to be cool, always trying to look uncaring.)

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're a patient," she replies.

"I am," Sasuke says, with a tone that screams _it's obvious_ , "but hearing the door suddenly open is enough to wake me up. I'm not foreign to ambushes at night."

(He's lying, though. He just can't sleep.

He's killed so many. He sees them staring right at him when he closes his eyes, and when he opens them, he can feel their hands on his throat. Their grip on his throat becomes tighter and tighter, his lungs struggling, his mouth trying to catch his breath.

But it's not real, and he knows this, but that doesn't make the experience any less haunting.)

A sheepish grin appears on her face. (She remembers sleeping in the forest with them during missions when they were still twelve. She remembers how they almost always end up bundled up together, even when before they were deep into sleep, they were far away from each other.) "Sorry about that, Sasuke-kun. And, well, rest assured, you're safe here." _This isn't your first time being hospitalized and surrounded by ANBU guards, I've been told._

"Why are you here, anyway?" he asks.

"I'm here to take your soul."

"You've always been bad at lying."

"You've always been bad at taking jokes."

"You call that a joke?"

"The ultimate joke is my life, I know."

It's quiet for a few minutes.

(She knows she shouldn't have said that; it just creates so much awkwardness for her to have such humor in front of people. She should have learned after saying that in front of Ino. She really should have learned.)

"I should get going. You still need rest, you know? I'll just…bring you breakfast tomorrow," she tells him, a smile on her face.

Before she manages to leave, his hand catches hers. (It's been so long since he felt her warmth, and it's been so long since she felt needed by him.)

"Stay."

* * *

 **A/N:**

Hello! This is a multichapter story with elements of friendship, comfort, and love. The development between Sakura and Sasuke will be pretty slow, and the next few chapters will probably focus on Sasuke.

Additionally, Naruto will be in the next chapter!

I'd like to answer a review here! To CharlieSlayer, thank you for leaving a review! I'm not really sure how this story will go because I don't have a clear plan of events yet, but I'm excited to continue it!

This story was inspired by my unending love for Sakura. She's always been very dear to me for the past 9 years I've known her.

Don't really know what else to write here because it's more or less my first time writing an Author's Note like this. Hope you enjoyed reading! There will be more chapters to come!


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